Brooke George, a 23-year-old British TikTok influencer with around 100,000 followers, is facing the death penalty by firing squad in Dubai after allegedly stabbing fellow Briton Bill Treeby, 26, to death. George, from Gravesend, Kent, claims she acted in self-defence after repeated assaults.
Victim's Criminal Record
Treeby was found guilty of unlawful wounding and common assault at Maidstone Crown Court in December 2023, relating to an attack on a woman and a man. He received a 14-month prison sentence, suspended for two years. He was also scheduled to face trial for conspiracy to supply cocaine, after police recovered £80,000 worth of cocaine, cash, and cannabis.
Events Leading to the Stabbing
George, a former John Lewis retail worker, met Treeby on Facebook, where he allegedly arranged a photoshoot. Her first visit to Dubai was positive, but during her second visit in June, she claims Treeby bought her a one-way ticket, confiscated her passport, and assaulted her when she asked for it back. After an evening out, an altercation occurred at a flat, and George says she grabbed a kitchen knife in self-defence.
Arrest and Detention
George organised a flight home with friends' help but was detained at Dubai International Airport on 22 June. She alleges she was refused legal representation and forced to strip before male officers, describing the experience as 'deeply humiliating and distressing'. She is being held at Bur Dubai police station.
Family and Campaign Group Response
Detained in Dubai, a campaign group representing George's family, stated she acted in self-defence. Her mother, Thereza, said: 'The daughter I spoke to that night was utterly terrified. I firmly believe she was desperately trying to get home and away from whatever had happened to her.' Detained in Dubai CEO Radha Stirling urged authorities to treat the case as domestic abuse and grant George bail.
Stirling added: 'Over recent years, there have been increasing reports of women, including social media influencers, models and young travellers, being lured to Dubai with promises of luxury lifestyles, paid work, holidays or romantic relationships, only to later allege that they were subjected to forced attendance at [degrading, sexualised] parties, sexual exploitation, coercion, violence or other degrading treatment.'
Official Response
A Foreign Office spokesperson said: 'We are in touch with a British woman detained in the UAE, we are supporting her family, and we are in contact with the local authorities.'
